Combing machine



July 5, 1955 c. SCHLEIFER COMBING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed May 25, 1954 INVENTOR.

y 5, 1955 c. SCHLEIFER 2,712,163

COMBING MACHINE Filed May 25, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

United States Patent COMBING MACHINE Carlo Schleifer, Milan, Italy Application May 25, 1954, Serial No. 432,190 Claims priority, application Italy May 28, 1953 8 Claims. (Cl. 19-116) In straight combers for middle and short length fibers based on the Heilmann principle of the Nasmiths or similar type, the detaching unit comprises apair of rollers cooperating with their respective pressure roilers'performing an intermittent rotary motion in opposite'directions, larger in width in one direction (pilgrim motion) and derived from a member constantly rotating in the same direction, motion being transmitted betweensaid member and detaching rollers through the interposition of dog clutches alternately engaging with one another.

The use of these mechanisms is hardly advantageous because it does not permit of accurately controlling the width of rotation of the detaching rollers'in each direc-'-' tion of rotation, on account of the fact that, on opera tion of the clutch, when the machine runs at a relatively high speed, the force of inertia is liable to rotate 2,712,163 Patented July 5, 1955 intermittent movement of the detaching rollers in opposite'directions, the'width of-movement being greater in one direction than in the other, are of a construction such as to stop the rollers during a period of standstill between their rotation in the drawing direction'and in an opposite direction for recoil, the rollers being then kept inaifixed'position by a stop member.

This invention provides moreover a drive for the drawing roller such that the latter is driven at both ends instead 0! one end only as in combers known heretofore.

According to this invention, the rotational movement of the main driving mechanism for the comber is transmitted to the carrying roller, the diameter of which is not subjected to any limitation in respect of its diameter, this roller being out of the range of the rectilinear comb of the machine.

The carrying roller is provided at its opposite ends with spur gears fast therewith, which transmit motion through an intermediate pair of toothed Wheels totwo toothed wheels keyed to the opposite ends of the drawing roller. Since the diameter of the carrying roller can be of any desired size, the roller will satisfactorily withstand torque' stresses arising during operation or" the machine without being deformed.

. "Further-characteristic features of this invention wilt be understood'from the appended description referring to the accompanying drawing given merely by way of example, wherein:

Figure lis a diagrammatical view of the driving mechanism according to this invention in an operative position corresponding to the beginning of the drawing step.

Figure 2 is a similar view in an operative position corresponding to the end of the drawing step.

Figure 3 is a view in an operative position correspond ing to "the start of the recoil step.

ers of the type above referred to, these, rollers are of considerable length. Since they rotate at ,highs peed, they are submitted to heavy torque stresses, so thatt heir diameter cannot be excessively reduced and has to be. determined taking care of the stresses arising in operation. However, in order to satisfactorily comb textile materials comprising middle and short length fibers, it is essential for the diameter of the drawing roller to be as small as possible, to permit of the stationary (straight) top comb cooperating with said roller to come as nearas possible to Figure 4 is a diagrammatical plan view of the detaching unit. in a comber of known construction.

Figure ,5, is a diagrammatic side view in the direction of the arrow A ofFigure- 4.

Figure 6 is a diagrammatical plan view of the detaching unit of a comber according to this invention.

Figure 7 is a diagrammatical side view in the direction of the. arrow A of Figure 6. Similar members are denoted'by the same references throughout the figures.

1 and 2' denote the drawing roller and carrying roller, respectively, of a comber; 3 and 4 denote two toothed wheels keyed to the ends of said rollers and connected together, through theinterp'osition of an intermediate toothed wheel 5.

the gripping region of the detaching unit, that is, to the line of contact between thedrawing roller and its respective pressure roller. T his requirement could not be fully met by known constructions for the above explained m sons inherent to the torque applied to the drawing roller. The object of this invention is to provide an improved mechanism for driving the detaching rollers of combers, by which the extent of angular oscillation of the detaching rollers in each direction can be accurately controlled, preventing a rotation beyond the due limitqf theroller driving member when the latter is disconnected from the rollers. a A further object of this invention is to provide-a driving mechanism for said detaching rollers avoiding ex.- cessive torque stresses on the drawing roller, which can be made of a very moderate diameter suitable for satisfactory operation of the comber in the processing of middle and short length fibers. According to this invention, the means adapted tocon- 6 denotes a further toothed wheel meshing with the toothed wheel 4 and fast with a toothed wheel 7 receiving motion from a; toothed wheel 8 securely connected to a disc 9 having notches 10 cut therein, which are distinguished from one another by an index a, b, c, d, e, f, g and h in order to explain more clearly the operation of th'e'mechanism. The notches are cut equally spaced in the: periphery of the disc 9 which is mounted for rotation about a fixed spindle in the machine frame (not shown).

' 1-1 denotes a rotary driving shaft actuated by a prime mover tnot shown) driving the machine, carrying two vert-the movement of said rotary driving member into adjacent cams 12,13, respectively, of which the operative surfaces cooperate with followers 16, 17, respectively,

- by a lever of substantially bell-crank shape rotatable-about spindle 18 fixed with respect to the machine frame. The followers 16 and 17 are each supported by one arm 19, 20, respectively of the bell-crank lever, in order to come into contact with the operative surfaces I6, 17 of associated cams on opposite sides of the axis ofthe shaft 11.

The end portion 21 of the arm 20 of thebell-crank lever is connected through the rod 22 to a sector 23 loosely mounted on the shaft carrying the toothed wheel 8 and disc 9. The sector 23 carries a pawl 24 provided with a. tooth 25 and loosely mounted on the sector about a pivot 26;:

The pawl 24 is hinged at 28 to a link 27 pivotallytatv. tached at its other end to a lever 29 mounted .for rota tion about a spindle 29a which is stationary with respect to the machine frame. The point 30 at which the link 27 is hinged to the lever 29 is such that in the operative .position shown in Fig. 1 and corresponding to the'beg'inning of the drawing period, when the tooth 25 is engaged in the notch a in the disc 9, said point 30is situatedaon the axis of the shaft carryingthe disc 9. The-lever 29Iis moreover provided with a short downwardly projecting arm 31 provided at its end with anv upwardly bent tooth 32 registering with the .notch 10:; in the peripheryw'o'f the disc 9. The free end of the lever 29 carries a transverse follower 33 riding within a guide out in the face of a disc 34 rotatable about a control shaft 35 and. rotated by the shaft 11 or other members driving the ma.- chine through a suitable transmission (not'showri) such as to impart to the shaft 35 the same rate of speed as the shaft 11. r M

The guide within which the follower 33 slides comprises two arcuated portions 36, 37, respectively, both co-axial with the axis of rotation of the disc 34and merging into each other by short rectilinear connections 38, 39, respectively. The diameter of the portion 36 of the guide groove is larger with respect to the portion 37 so that, on rotation of the disc 34, the follower alternately takes positions which are less and more remote, respectively, from the shaft 35, thereby oscillating the lever about the axis 29a.

The mechanism operates as follows.

Starting from the position shown in Figure l, at which the drawing step starts, rotation of the shaft 11, hence of the cams 12, 13 in the direction of the arrow F rocks the bell-crank lever 19, 20 towards the right on the drawing. This rocking movement moves the rod 22 to the right and rotates the sector-23 and disc 9 engaged by the tooth 25 in the same direction as the shaft 11. The width of rotation of the disc 9 is determined by the shape of the operative surfaces 14, 15 of the earns 12, 13, the sector in the meantime the disc 34 islikewise rotated from- Q an angular position such that the follower 33 is situated, at the end of the drawing step, at the inlet of .the connection 38 between the portions 36 and, 37 of the guide groove in the disc 34. Right at this moment the oscillation of the bell-crank lever 19, 20 sector 23 and disc 9 is stopped; the rollers 1 and 2 are therefore arrested and are kept against movement, through the shape of the pro files of the cams 12, 13 until a further rotation of the disc 34 brings the follower 33 into the portion 37 of the guide groove moving upwardly the lever 29, so that the tooth 32 is engaged in the notch 10g in the disc 9 which has in the meantime come in front of the tooth 32, while the tooth 25 is released from the notch 10a by which it was engaged during the drawing step.

On further rotation of the shaft 11, hence of the cams 12, 13 a rocking motion of thebelhcranli lever 19, '20 to the left starts as well as return of the sector 23' and tooth 25 to their initial position, the disc'9 and rollers 1 lower 33 which had till then been guided in the groove portion 37 in the disc 34, moves over to the connection 39, the lever 29 is oscillated downwardly releasing the tooth 32 from the notch 10g and causing at the same time the tooth 25 to be engaged in the notch 10b which is now in register therewith.

Further rotation of the shaft 11 and earns 12 and 13 rotates the sector 23, tooth25, disc 9 as well as the detaching rollers 1 and 2 in a direction opposite their direction of rotation during drawing.

The lat ter step corresponding to recoil of the rollers 1 and'2 ends as the mechanism resumes its position as showninlFigu're 1 corresponding to the start of the drawing step.

The angular width of the groove sections 36 and 37 in the disc 34 as well as the arrangement thereof are such that the follower 33 is guided over the portion 36 during recoil and drawing, and over the portion 37 during standstill of; the disc 9 and rollers 1 and 2, the follower travelling over the connections 38 and 39 when the sector 23 is stationary and the followers 16, 17 are in contact with the sections of the operative surfaces 14 and 15 of the cams which are formed by arcs of circles of which the center is situated on the axis of the shaft 11.

It is understood that the angular width of these arcs should equal the angular width of the guide groove P01: tions 38, 39, in order to cause engagement and disengagement of the teeth 25, 32 and their respective peripheral notches in the disc 9 to be effected while the sector 23 is stationary. I

Motion was heretofore transmitted to the detaching rollers by the known arrangements shown in Figures 4 and 5 in the following manner. The rollers 1 and 2 have keyed thereto on the same side of the mechanism two toothed wheels 3, 4 respectively connected together through the interposition of an intermediate Wheel 5, The rotary motion is transmitted by a shaft 40 driven by the members operating the machine through the toothed wheel 41 to the toothed wheel 3 keyed to the end of the drawing roller. Both drawing and carrying roller are in this case equal in diameter. It is clear and will be obvious from the drawing that on account of their length the rollers may undergo heavy torque stresses in operation of, the comber.

With the arrangement shown in Figures 6 and 7 which is peculiar of this invention, rotation is transmitted from the toothed wheel 6 driven by the disc 9 of the roller driving unit described above to the toothed wheel 4 keyed to the end of the carrying roller 2 and rotates the latter. A further toothed wheel 4, similar to the wheel 4, is keyed to the opposite end of tthe carrying roller ,2. Toothed wheels 4, 4' transmit rotation through the inter:

position of two toothed wheels 5, 5 to the toothed wheels 3, 3' keyed to opposite ends of the drawing roller 1. which is in this case smaller in diameter than the carrying roller'2. 'Since the drawing roller 1 is driven at both ends, it is not subject to appreciable torque stresses even if it is made of .reduced diameter.

What I claim is: "1. In a combing machine of the type specified, de taching roller driving mechanism comprising a driving shaft anda control shaft, cam means on the driving shaft, cam means on the control shaft, a notched wheel and 2 being stationary on account of the factthat the 3 the earns 12, 13, the said sector 23 and the tooth.25

-being stopped over a short period as they take the angular position shown in Figure 3. At the same time, the folcoupled for rotation with said detaching roller, a rocking pawl actuated from said first named cam means for rotating saidwheel, a stop lever actuated from said second named cam means for stopping the wheel, and connecting means between the lever and pawl controlling the engagement between the wheel and pawl. 2.-In'a combing machine of the type specified, detaching roller unit driving mechanism comprising a driving shaft and a control shaft, double cam means on the driving shaft, cam means on the control shaft, a bellcranlr lever controlled for rocking movement by said double cam means, a notched wheel coupled for rotation with said detaching roller, a rocking pawl actuated from said bell-crank lever for rotating said wheel in opposite directions, a stop lever actuated from said second named cam means for stopping the wheel, and connecting means between the stop lever and pawl controlling the engagement between the wheel and pawl.

3. In a machine as claimed in claim 2, a pawl carrying sector freely rotatable about the wheel axis, a connecting rod between the bell-crank lever and said sector for rocking the sector about said axis, a stop-lever section extending over said axis, the connecting means consisting of a link pivotally connected at said stop-lever section.

4. In a combing machine as claimed in claim 2, said double-cam means consisting of two adjacent cam members, a follower on each arm of the bell-crank lever operatively contacting said cam-members, and a circular arc profile section on each member for keeping the bellcrank lever stationary between the drawing and the recoil step of machine operation.

5. In a combing machine as claimed in claim 2, a stop tooth extending from the stop lever substantially opposite said pawl, said tooth cooperating with said notched wheel for stopping the wheel after each drawing step.

6. In a combing machine as claimed in claim 2, a follower carried by said stop lever, said cam means including a disc, and a guide groove at a face of said disc engaging said follower and consisting of two concentric circular arc sections of different diameters for keeping the stop lever in engaged and disengaged condition, respectively, with respect to the notched wheel, and rectilinear sections connecting said first named sections into a closed path. a

7. In a combing machine as claimed in claim 2, said cam and double cam means providing for engagement of the pawl and the stop lever with the notched wheel.

8. In a combing machine as claimed in claim 2, said detaching roller unit comprising a drawing and a carrying roller parallel with each other, a toothed wheel at each end of each roller, movement transmitting gears between the wheels of the carrying roller and the respective end wheels of the drawing roller, and a driving connection between the carrying roller and the notched wheel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,382,481 Helland Aug. 14, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,099 Great Britain of 1869 1,877 Great Britain of 1860 168,340 Great Britain Sept. 5, 1921 265,169 Switzerland Nov. 30, 1949 

